Lift Bridge Book Shop in Brockport, N.Y., is relying on a crowdfunding campaign to help stave off closure, the Democrat & Chronicle reported.
The new and used bookstore, which has been in business in Brockport since 1972, started having financial troubles in July 2022, when a nearby lift bridge over the Erie Canal was closed for historic restoration. The closure immediately caused drops in foot traffic and sales, and delays have kept the project going well past its original end date of August 2024.
In early October, a community member and supporter of the bookstore launched the GoFundMe campaign with a goal of raising $35,000; it has raised over $31,000 since. The money raised through the campaign will go toward keeping staff employed, covering operating expenses, and running initiatives meant to boost business while the closure continues.
"We have been in survival mode for over three years," co-owner John Bonczyk told the Democrat & Chronicle. "And now we have hope. It's such a different mindset to be scared constantly to 'Hey, maybe we can keep doing this.' "